Sligo Destination and Experience Development Plan (DEDP)

The Sligo Destination and Experience Development Plan (Sligo DEDP) is a five year sustainable tourism development plan for County Sligo. It has been developed through a programme of research and consultation guided by the V.I.C.E. (Visitor, Industry, Community, Environment) model for sustainable tourism development. It incorporates the views of visitors, the tourism industry, local communities in addition to a programme of international benchmarking. 

The key objectives of the Sligo Destination and Experience Development Plan are: 

• Ensure the Sligo visitor experience is brought to life through the development of a mix of tourism products and experiences that will attract visitors and retain them for longer. 
• Unlock the economic potential of tourism in Sligo by progressing a range of key initiatives that will disperse tourists across the wider destination. 
• Strengthen the value of tourism to the local community by providing sustainable employment opportunities. 
• Develop a sustainable basis for commercial tourism development by enhancing and creating strong destination experiences that excite consumers and buyers alike. 
• Create the conditions to attract leisure visitors on a year round basis to Sligo and immerse themselves actively in the community while providing the opportunity to interact with local people as part of the Sligo experience. 
• Develop the role of Sligo as a key enabler for regional tourism development and transform how visitors engage with the northern half of the Wild Atlantic Way. 

The Sligo DEDP represents an overarching destination development framework linking existing and new projects with new opportunities for consideration. It builds on the ambition of the Wild Atlantic Way Regional Tourism Development Strategy and will be key to growing the value of tourism in the northern half of the region. This requires a collective stakeholder approach integrating all elements of the visitor experience to develop Sligo as a distinctive visitor destination. 

If you would like to reach out to the team tasked with delivering on this plan, simply email sligodedp@failteireland.ie.